Pivot shaft mechanism, and a pivot shaft mechanism of a camera for pivoting a rotatable grip on a camera body

Patent 7477316 Issued on January 13, 2009. Estimated Expiration Date:

May 4, 2025. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Assignee

Hoya Corporation

Application

No. 11121095 filed on 05/04/2005

US Classes:

348/375For specified accessory

Examiners

Primary: Vu, Ngoc-Yen T
Assistant: Peterson, Christopher K

Attorney, Agent or Firm

GreenBlum & Bernstein, P.L.C.

International Classes

H04N 5/225
G03B 17/00
G03B 17/02

Abstract

A pivot shaft mechanism includes a rotation support cylinder; an inner shaft provided in the rotation support cylinder to be relatively rotatable; an annular space formed between an inner peripheral surface of the rotation support cylinder and an outer peripheral surface of the inner shaft; engaging recesses formed on the outer peripheral surface of the inner shaft; and a resilient ring member which includes an arc-shaped arm portion which is formed as a partial annular ring, and a pair of bent end portions. The resilient ring member is installed between the rotation support cylinder and the inner shaft with the arc-shaped arm portion installed in the annular space in a resiliently deformed state and the pair of bent end portions installed in the engaging recesses in a resiliently deformed state to apply a frictional resistance between the rotation support cylinder and the inner shaft.